Manager - DTC Partner Operations, MS NOW

VERSANT is a leading force in news, sports and entertainment - home to iconic and trusted brands that inspire, inform, and delight audiences. Our unique combination of content, technology and services enriches the cultural fabric, igniting passions, sparking conversations, and connecting people to what they love most.

As an independent, publicly traded company, VERSANT brings together powerhouse cable networks - including USA Network, CNBC, MS NOW (formerly MSNBC), Oxygen, E!, SYFY, and Golf Channel - with dynamic digital and direct-to-consumer brands such as Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. Together, these businesses reflect our commitment to delivering exceptional experiences across every screen and service.

VERSANT is an industry-changing media company fueled by innovation and an entrepreneurial spirit. With a strong foundation and a forward-looking vision, VERSANT empowers creativity, embraces change, and drives connection in an ever-evolving world.

Reporting to the Director, DTC Partner Operations, the Manager of DTC Partner Operations will own the operational execution of MS NOW’s growing partnerships portfolio. This role sits at the intersection of partnerships, project management, and cross-functional coordination — responsible for taking partnerships from handoff to launch and managing everything that comes after.

This role will serve as the primary day-to-day contact for active community, brand, and growth partners, keeping timelines, deliverables, and obligations on track while aligning internal teams across Marketing, Content, Product, and Legal. In addition to managing the active portfolio, this person will do proactive outreach to community organizations, values-aligned brands, and enterprise growth partners not covered by our dedicated partner teams.

The ideal candidate is a highly organized, relationship-oriented operator who thrives on bringing structure to complex, multi-stakeholder work — and who takes pride in executing partnerships that are launched well, not just launched.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for active DTC partners following the handoff from Business Development, managing day-to-day relationships and ongoing obligations
• Own a consolidated view of all active partnerships — tracking deliverables, timelines, and status across the full portfolio
• Execute outreach to community organizations, values-aligned brands, and enterprise growth partners
• Act as a central project manager for partnership launches, coordinating across Marketing, Content, Product, and Legal to ensure alignment and accountability
• Manage internal workflows for asset sharing, QA reviews, and approvals, keeping processes efficient and documented
• Build and maintain launch plans with clear owners, timelines, and dependencies; lead post-launch reviews
• Proactively identify risks, delays, and blockers; surface tradeoffs and drive resolution before they escalate
• Maintain operational systems and reporting that give leadership visibility into partnership health and pipeline status
• Coordinate with Business Development to ensure smooth handoffs in both directions as the partnerships pipeline evolves

• 5+ years of experience in strategic partnerships, partnerships operations, business development, program management, or a related role
• Proven ability to manage multiple external relationships and internal workstreams simultaneously without dropping the ball
• Strong cross-functional coordination skills, with experience aligning stakeholders across marketing, content, product, and legal
• Highly organized with a track record of building and maintaining operational systems (plans, trackers, workflows) that scale
• Clear communicator — written and verbal — who can move efficiently across internal teams and external partners alike
• Comfortable navigating ambiguity and managing competing priorities in a fast-moving environment
• Experience in subscription, media, or consumer-facing businesses is a plus
• Experience supporting 0-to-1 product or partnerships launches is a plus

Additional Job Requirements: 

• Must be willing to work in New York, NY.
• Must have unrestricted work authorization to work in the United States. 

This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental, and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks.  

Salary Range: $135,000-$150,000, bonus eligible. 

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with a VERSANT Media employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. VERSANT Media's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].

VERSANT Media is committed to fair and equitable compensation practices. We include a good faith pay range for each position to comply with applicable state and local pay transparency laws and to promote equity across our organization. Actual compensation will be based on factors such as the candidate's skills, qualifications, experience, and location and may include additional forms of compensation and benefits such as health insurance, retirement plans, paid time off, etc.

VERSANT Media is not accepting unsolicited assistance from search firms for this employment opportunity. All resumes submitted by search firms to any employee at VERSANT via-email, the Internet, or in any form and/or method without a valid written Statement of Work in place for this position from VERSANT's Talent Acquisition team will be deemed the sole property of VERSANT. No fee will be paid in the event the candidate is hired by VERSANT as a result of the referral or through other means.